Pakistan continues to battle with extreme air air pollution, rating as one of many world’s most smog-affected nations, in line with new information launched on Tuesday. The nation’s air high quality is nicely under the World Well being Group’s (WHO) advisable requirements, with hazardous particulate matter (PM2.5) ranges considerably exceeding protected limits.
In 2024, Pakistan was ranked among the many high 5 most polluted nations globally, alongside Chad, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and India. The typical PM2.5 focus in Pakistan was alarmingly excessive, far surpassing the WHO’s protected restrict of 5 micrograms per cubic metre, which was solely met by 17% of worldwide cities final yr.
This persistent smog disaster isn’t solely a significant well being concern but additionally a setback within the nation’s efforts to enhance air high quality. Main city centres like Lahore and Karachi commonly face intense air pollution, particularly throughout winter, when fog and industrial emissions mix to worsen air high quality.
Pakistan’s reliance on exterior monitoring sources has additionally turn into a major problem.
For years, the US State Division’s air high quality sensors, put in at embassy and consulate buildings, offered essential real-time air pollution information for a lot of growing nations, together with Pakistan.
Nevertheless, the US not too long ago ended this monitoring programme, citing funds constraints. This has left nations like Pakistan weak to gaps in air pollution information, making future efforts to fight smog harder.
Christi Chester-Schroeder, air high quality science supervisor at IQAir, highlighted the affect on nations like Pakistan, the place these monitoring stations have been typically the only real supply of real-time air high quality data. “The lack of these monitoring stations is a significant blow to efforts in areas the place air pollution information is sparse,” she stated.
As international air pollution ranges rise, local weather change is intensifying the state of affairs. Larger temperatures are resulting in longer, extra extreme forest fires, notably in components of South East Asia and South America, which additional worsen air high quality.
The closure of the US air high quality programme may have an effect on no less than 34 nations, together with Pakistan, with a considerable lack of dependable air pollution information. Christa Hasenkopf, director of the Clear Air Program on the College of Chicago’s Vitality Coverage Institute, described the transfer as a major setback. “It’s an enormous blow to air high quality efforts worldwide,” she said.
With local weather change worsening air pollution and the lack of key monitoring instruments, Pakistan faces an more and more tough battle towards its smog disaster. The necessity for dependable air high quality information and stronger air pollution management measures has by no means been extra pressing.